~Confusion~

A tickling sensation ran over Draco's body. He was still half asleep, but he could feel a pressure on his chest. A pressure that moved from right below his neck to the middle of his ribs. His bare chest caught every movement, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

'What is that?' Draco tried to open his eyes but he was still half asleep. He could only feel the slight movement every so often.

Finally Draco began to wake. He stirred a little and opened his eyes. There lying on his exposed torso was a hand and an arm.

'Did I sleep with someone last night?'

His eyes followed the arm to the shoulder then to the spot next to him. Somewhat snuggled into him was a chaos of messy, dark black hair. Draco noted the face. Wasn't that... Potter?!!

The memories of last night finally took hold and mixed around his brain. He was so shocked that he tried to jerk free of the contact. But he didn't notice he was on the edge of the bed and completely fell off landing with a huge thud on the floor.

Harry shot up with his eyes wide open looking around the room. He looked near him first and it took him a moment for his gaze to land on Draco on the floor.

Harry laughed, "What are you doing down there?"

"I'm down here because I *tried* to move over when I found your arm around me."

"I had my arm around you?" Harry's cheeks began to flush very noticeably.

Draco nodded enjoying the other boy's discomfort. Since he was down on the floor he noted the chessboard was back under his bed.

"Sorry. I must have gotten cold," Harry looked away from Draco trying to control the redness.

Draco smiled inwardly, but put a scowl on his face, "Whatever."

Harry couldn't look Draco in the eyes. He hung his head a little trying to hide his blushing.

Draco scowled a little raising himself off the floor.

"Feel any better?" Harry asked finally back to normal color.

"Better than yesterday," Draco grumbled. Just as he said that his headache returned, but he didn't let the pain show.

Harry scooted off the bed, "I guess I can go now. Ron and Hermione are probably wondering where I've been all night."

Draco raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'll make up something. Probably tell them I fell asleep in the library. I did that before." Harry grabbed for something on the chair and wrapped it around him.

"And why did you bring your invisibility cloak with you?"

Harry smirked as he lifted the hood, "How else do you think I got in here?"

Draco's door opened and closed as though a ghost came and went. Then it was silent.

Draco fell back onto his bed. The feeling of Harry's arm could still be felt on his chest. Light and feathery almost blending in with the air. It felt weird, felt strange, felt... right? No!

Draco grabbed a pair of blue jeans and pulled out a black shirt. He quickly jumped in the shower and threw on his clothes making no effort about his hair.

Draco opened the door and stomped to the common room. A few second and fifth years hung around, but nobody he knew or cared to know. Draco flung open the entrance and stepped out into the hallway where he escaped outside.

A soft breeze flowed through his loose hair as he began to walk. He tucked a stray strand behind his ear. The wind brought the smell of pine along with it tickling his nose. The sun sent golden rays down upon him that danced off his checks and sparkled in his eyes. The robin egg blue sky bore no clouds at all and it would have been a perfect day, if it wasn't so confusing.

Draco stuffed his hands in his pockets and strode on looking at no one and nothing in particular. Just trying to escape; clear his mind.

What had happened happened. Potter just came for the concealing charm and found him half passed out. Of course he helped. He was too Gryffindor not to. And he stayed the whole day to see him back on his feet. No big deal!

But he had stayed the night... no he had fallen asleep. And Draco found Harry's arm wrapped around him. No big deal. It was an accident. After all, he had been sleeping.

"Damn you Potter! Always have to make everything so fucking difficult!" Draco grumbled under his breath. He kicked at a pebble under his feet sending it a few centimeters ahead. He kicked at it again and lost sight of it.

His headache caught up with him. He knew that his sickness was still there, leaving, but still there. Dizziness swept through his whole body again making him almost topple over as he was walking.

He found a tree near Hogwarts' lake and sat down rubbing his forehead again. He relaxed again the trunk and laid his head back shutting his eyes as a cool breeze blew his hair. Everything was better when you couldn't see, everything made sense because there was nothing to confuse you. Draco loved to shut his eyes and block out everything that troubled him. To bad you could only do it for so long.

The wind rustled the leaves of the tree causing one to fall on his head. He brushed it away with more of a reflex then effort. A bird sang somewhere off in the distance and a cricket chirped somewhere close by bringing peace. The warm sun made a comfortable shadow against the tree. Draco listened to the lapping of the water against the bank with a somewhat soothing effect.

Draco slid his eyes open focusing around him. His headache had cleared as it always does sooner or later. Again his mind focused back on Harry.

'Why is this thing with Potter bugging me all of a sudden? Is it because we are enemies sworn to torture and torment the other and instead he helped me? That was only one time. I hate being confused!'

He blinked slowly, 'Why am I so tired all of a sudden?' He rubbed at his eyes, 'I gotta keep awake.'

Draco stood up leaning against the tree for support. He took a few steps and almost fell. He steadied himself then began walking back to Hogwarts. The corridors were so empty even on Sundays. Everyone running to Hogsmeade for Christmas gifts when the holiday was only a week away.

Draco never liked Christmas. It was always too lonely. Sure he was invited home for the holidays, but it didn't matter when his parents took off to somewhere on vacation leaving him all alone and the empty mansion made it seem even worse. No, Christmas was definitely not his favorite time of the year.

He wondered the halls trying to keep awake, but his eyelids were telling him different. Everything became double vision and Draco had to blink a few times to focus back on where he was going.

Sounds came from not to far ahead of him around a corner. He shuffled his feet and stood against the wall listening. After all he was still a Slytherin.

"Did you get all your shopping done?" Harry's voice was something Draco found he could distinguish anywhere.

"Yeah, picked up my last few things today. Hogsmeade was a mess! You should have seen how packed it was!" a female voice said. Draco settled on it being Granger.

"I told you to go last weekend, but do you listen to me? No," Harry teased.

Hermione huffed, "Don't start that again Mr. Harry 'I know everything so listen to me' Potter."

"No that's you. You're the one that knows everything. I just have common sense," he laughed.

"I'm gonna hurt you very badly Potter," Hermione giggled.

"I'd like to see you try."

Draco couldn't see what was going on, but there was a few thud noises and laughing.

A few minutes later Hermione spoke again, "So what'd you buy me?"

"Who says I bought you anything?"

"Because I bought you something."

"Better go and buy you something now then shouldn't I?" Harry chuckled.

A few seconds of silence, "Are you gonna buy 'You-Know-Who' a present?

Harry suddenly snapped causing Draco to jump making him almost knock over the suit of armor that was next to him, "God Hermione drop the subject! I do not like..."

"Harry! Everyone knows it but you!"

"I DO NOT!!!" Harry yelled.

"Harry," Hermione sounded like she was frustrated and amused at the same time, "Go sit in your room tonight and think about how many times you think and talk about 'You-Know-Who' and about how much you stare."

"I DO NOT!!!" Harry yelled again.

'Potter sounds like he's in denial,' Draco smirked, 'I must asked... uh... torment him later about this.'

Draco quickly left in the other direction leaving the two to quarrel.

'Wonder who it is...' Draco thought, 'Wait, what do I care?! I don't, I just want to torture whoever Potter likes along with him. Yeah that's it.'

He walked toward the Great Hall, 'I can get something to eat before I go back to my room.'

He walked in the doors and over to Slytherin table. The whole hall seemed almost empty. Even many of the Slytherins were gone. Draco shrugged. He didn't care; loneliness is peace.

Draco filled half his plate with a few things. He wasn't really hungry, but he hadn't eaten to good in a few days so he forced himself to take a bite. The food tasted bitter, his taste buds must be a little off. He ignored the flavor and finished quickly, eating about half of what he put on his plate before his stomach started to disagree with him about holding food. He swallowed hard trying to hold down what little food he had taken in as he headed for the door.

He went to push the door, but instead had it slammed into him making him fall backward. He landed with a thud on the ground.

Draco looked up, "Potter!"

"Oh... um... sorry," Harry looked down at his feet. Was he... blushing? What for?

Harry offered his hand to help Draco back to his feet. Draco ignored the gesture and picked himself off the ground wiping his pants off.

Draco steamed out the doors muttering, "Goddamn Gryffindor..."

When he looked back he saw the strangest expression on Harry's face. Kind of like sadness? What did Potter have to be sad about? He was 'The-Boy-Who- Lived' 'The-Boy-Who-Could-Get-Away-With-Everything-Because-He-Had-A-Scar- For-An-Excuse' 'Mr. Harry 'Perfect' Potter'

Draco shook his head, 'I must have imagined it. Potter probably gave me another one of his dumb angry looks and I just saw it wrong.'

He shook his head walking back through the hallway. More students were returning and Draco made an exit into the Slytherin common room. He plopped on a velvet green chair near the empty fireplace.

Pansy walked up behind him and shouted, "Hi!"

Draco jumped and quickly turned around to see a giggling Pansy. He scowled, "Get the hell away from me."

"Awe Draco... come on I'm only playing," Pansy pouted.

"Leave me the fuck alone."

Pansy eyed Draco, "You aren't still mad about Friday are you?"

Draco stayed quiet.

"Quit being a baby. Besides, I saw him coming out of your room this morning," Pansy whispered so others wouldn't overhear.

Draco looked wide-eyed, "How did you know?!"

"I accidentally bumped into him when he was walking into the hallway. And since Harry is the only one who has an invisibility cloak I knew it was him."

Draco hid his face in his hands and gave a frustrated sigh, "Does anyone *else* know?"

"Not that I know of."

"Thank God."

Pansy got a mischievous twinkle in her eye, "So what were you doing all night?"

"What are you implying?"

"I don't know. Maybe you decided to continue on with your last dare..."

"GODDAMMIT PARKINSON!" Draco hollered making a few heads turn toward their direction. He jumped from his seat and stood in Pansy face, "IF YOU EVEN SUGGEST WHAT I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO SUGGEST YOU CAN FORGET IT! THAT IS COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY DISGUSTING! IF YOU EVER LET ONE WORD SLIP THAT I WAS DARED TO KISS..."

Pansy quickly slapped her hand over his mouth stopping him in mid-sentence. Her expression turned of anger and she pulled Draco up to his room leaving behind a bunch of very amused Slytherins.

Pansy flung open the door and slammed it locking it behind her. She cast a silencing spell around the room. "Do you want every fucking person to hear that you kissed Harry?!"

Draco went pale at the horrible mistake he almost made. How could he have been so stupid? He was even yelling at Pansy not to say a word and there he was shouting it out at the top of his lungs. Draco opened his mouth to say something.

"Shut your mouth and listen," Pansy snapped, "If you wanna ruin your only chance to get with him then fine, but don't go..."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'GET WITH HIM'?! HE'S MY ENEMY, I'D RATHER KILL HIM!" Draco went instantly from pale to red with anger.

Pansy rolled her eyes, "If you had a choice of killing Harry or saving his life I guarantee he'd still be alive."

"NO HE WOULDN'T!"

"Draco, answer me this. Am I not the only person who actually hangs with you especially since you cursed Crabbe and Goyle when they got on your nerves last spring?"

"Well yeah..."

"And isn't it true you haven't had a steady girlfriend since Arlee in fifth year?"

"Well yeah..."

"And isn't it possible when you are lonely to like someone and not know it?"

"I guess..."

"Couldn't that someone be Harry?"

"FUCK NO!" Draco screamed, "WHERE THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU GET OFF THAT I LIKE POTTER?!"

"You always talk about him..."

"HOW MUCH I *HATE* HIM!"

"But you talk about him none the less which means he's always on your mind."

"GODDAMMIT HE IS NOT!"

Pansy ignored his comment, "How about all the times I see you stare at him?"

"I DO NOT STARE!"

"Yes you do."

"NAME ONE!"

"Ok, the time when Slytherin versed Gryffindor in the Quidditch matches. You always stare at him instead of looking for the snitch."

"I'M SEEING IF HE FOUND IT YET!"

"How about when Gryffindor verses Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw? Your attention is still on Harry."

"I'M A SEEKER! I'M USE TO SNITCH SEARCHING! THAT'S THE BEST PART OF THE GAME FOR ME!"

"How about when we have classes with the Gryffindors? Every time I look at you your eyes are on Harry."

"NO THEY ARE NOT!"

"Whenever we pass him in the hallways you always start talking about him."

"AGAIN HOW MUCH I *HATE* HIM!"

"And again you're *still* talking about him. And in the Great Hall I see you look over at him sometimes."

"ENOUGH!!!"

Pansy smirked but shut her mouth clearly making her point.

"YOU ARE NOT MAKING ANY SENSE. HELL WOULD FREEZE OVER BEFORE I *EVER* LOVE POTTER!!!"

Pansy's eyes grew large for a second before her expression went to amusement and a smirk filled her cherry lips, "Who said anything about love?"